Blues Scale in other positions

Theory
1

I just watched this video that explains playing the blues scale in 7 positions. It just boggles my mind on how amazing the harmonica is. Check it out here. Blues Scale in 7 (NEARLY 8) Positions (NO overblows / overdraws) - YouTube

3 Likes
2

Hmmm let’s see Blues Scales with no overblows…

1st pos 7 8’ -9 9’ 9 10" 10
2nd pos -2 -3’ 4 -4’ -4 -5 6
3rd pos -4 -5 6 -6’ -6 7 -8
4th pos -6 7 -8 -8’ 8 9 -10
5th pos 2 3 -3" -3’ -3 -4 5
6th pos -7 -8 8 -9 9’ -10 10’

I’ve never messed around with positions 7-11

12th position requires overblows to play the Blues scale.

I could only get 6 without overblows! I wonder what I’m missing? Anyways, agreed @andy_lacroix what an ABSOLUTELY AMAZING little instrument we can carry around in our pockets!!!

Rock on,
Luke

4 Likes
3

Hi @Luke,

The typo gremlin snuck into your 4th pos Blues Scale :scream: :slightly_smiling_face:

It should be this:

4th pos: -6 +7 -8 +8’ +8 +9 -10

Where your -8’ is replaced by +8’ (8 blow bend) to get the Eb. :innocent:

Regards and thanks for the collection of Blues Scales,
– Slim :sunglasses:

4 Likes
4

Ah, good lookin out @Slim! I’m always doing stuff like that lol! Since you know how to overblows, maybe I should write out the octaves where an overblow is required if that would be helpful?

I just happen to be exploring this stuff a lot right now since I can play overblows on my Crossover A harp (it’s pretty much the only harp I wanna play right now, lol.)

Rock on,
Luke

3 Likes
5

I guess that wouldn’t hurt, although it is really for the advanced players and can really frustrate those unable to overblow.

I remember that when I first learned about overblows and attempted to learn how to play them that I was completely WRONG !! I was blowing my brains out (and probably shortening the life expectancy of my harps) by blowing EXTRA hard – which the name seemed to imply was proper. What a mistake!!! :exploding_head:

Regards,
– Slim

2 Likes
6

@Luke, all your Lee Oskars are now silently weeping… :laughing:

3 Likes
7

Yeah right there with you. I blew out a bunch of reeds and then decided to forget about them. I think I just go lucky with a harmonica that happens to play them a bit easier out of the box. (I think that’s what happened to Howard Levy back in the day too, btw!)

Rock on,
Luke

4 Likes